Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Ch. 21 Nighttime in the Daytime Complete

Final Chapter of “Nighttime in the Daytime” 21/21 Complete
PG-13 for adult situations
By Artemis (jumpstick@earthlink.net)
July, 2011

A/N: I’ll recap how Clark discovered his vulnerability to Kryptonite from Ch. 18. It is rather key to the end of the story. Pete is missing and Clark is worried. Perry White has assigned Lois and Clark to cover the hazardous pesticide story in Smallville. Eschewing flying by airplane, they head for Baldwin, KS and Pete’s house by Superman Express. They find the place ransacked, bullet holes in the ceiling and Pete missing. They go on to Clark’s Farm in Smallville, where they plan to stay while covering the story.

From Ch. 18

Clark flew to his farm, circling around to come in from the opposite side to the Ross’ farm. He came in high and went down fast, Lois’ head cupped tightly into the black scarf around his neck.

They landed down gently on the back porch, which faced away from the Ross’ farm. Again he fished out the big key chain from his jean’s pocket and unlocked the back door. They moved in silently, warily, just in case things weren’t as safe as they seemed.

Clark stopped and x-rayed around the house and said curtly, “It appears no one has been here since I was here last. Well, no one but Rita, I guess.” He saw the packages on the dining room table through the walls.

Reaching over, Clark flipped the generator switch by the back door and they both could hear it start up but he knew the generator couldn’t be heard over at the Ross’.

Moving on into the front part of the house, he saw a large package on the dining room table and beside it another smaller package. Looking into the big package with his vision, Clark could see three Suits and a new pair of boots. He didn’t look into the smaller package, assuming that was the gift from Rita for Lois.

Lois walked over and picked up the smaller package, covered in pretty paper with a card that said succinctly, “To Lois, love Rita.”

Clark said, “Well, I’m going to go fly high over the Ross’ and see what’s going on. There are trees not too far from the house and I can hide in there, so it may be a while.”

Nodding absently, Lois picked up her gift and turned to give Clark a goodbye kiss, then turned back to the table and peeled the wrapping paper off of the gift box. “Oh,” she exclaimed to herself as she saw the beautiful Art Deco jewelry box inside, “it’s gorgeous.” Slowly she lifted the lid to peer inside.

After giving Lois a good-bye kiss, Clark walked to the back door. All of a sudden he was hit with a wave of excruciating pain the likes of which he had never felt in his life. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t walk and fell to his knees.

Too weak to stay upright, he fell on his face halfway to the back door with a loud thump.

Lois looked inside the jewelry box and saw the beautiful green necklace and earrings. With excitement, she lifted the necklace out and fastened it around her neck. The stones were so pretty, they almost glowed on their own. She turned to find a mirror to admire the necklace around her neck, when she heard a loud heavy thump.

Confused, Lois looked toward the sound of the thump and saw Clark laid out on the floor, halfway to the back door. “Clark! What’s wrong?” She heard no answer.

‘Why is Clark lying on the floor when he is in a hurry to find out about Pete?’ she wondered to herself. ‘Why would invulnerable Clark fall down on a flat floor?’

Running over to him, her necklace bouncing around her neck, she kneeled by him and leaned over him to see what was wrong. “Clark! What happened to you?”

As she moved closer, Clark began to groan and curl into a ball on the floor. “Pain!” he managed to grind out. “Dunno. Worse. Move…” He looked like he was going into convulsions.

In a panic, Lois moved closer and stroked his fevered forehead. He was sweating profusely. She had never seen him sweat like this.

“Move…move away,” came his almost inaudible words.

Puzzled, Lois stood up and backed away a little ways.

Clark relaxed a bit.

Lois went back toward the table.

Clark sighed and rolled on to his back, clearly breathing better and looking less feverish.

‘Oh, that’s a relief,’ Clark thought to himself. He didn’t yet have the energy to voice the thought. What in the world was that pain about? He had never felt that way in his life, even dealing with Nightfall. He was invulnerable, after all! Suddenly he realized that was no longer a true statement.

Lois was an investigative reporter and also a very logical person. ‘What is new here that is hurting Clark,’ she thought to herself. Gripping the necklace in her hand while it still hung around her neck, she realized that was it and removed it from her neck.

Holding it in her hand, she saw he was still stretched out on the floor. He seemed the same, not better. But he was fine when he stood by the table. Maybe if she put the necklace back in the box he would feel better again. Putting the necklace back in the box with the earrings, Lois closed the lid and looked back at Clark. Hearing a sigh of relief, she began to walk back toward him, leaving the box on the table.

Clark sat up and shook his head as if to get his brain working again. He realized Lois was slowly walking back toward him and he began to scoot backwards to keep a distance from her.

But keeping a distance from Lois was not what he wanted to do in his life. So he stopped and waited for the pain to start again as she approached.

Clark watched her approach warily and then realized he felt heavy, as if he were human and not super. Although he had what he thought was a trim build, he was tall guy but heavy due to his dense molecular structure. He tried to think “up” and nothing happened. He looked over at the wall beside him and couldn’t see through it. He listened and the world was strangely quiet, although he could hear Lois speak in a normal voice.

“Clark, are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” he heard himself answer. “But apparently I’m no longer ‘super’.”

Lois stopped, her jaw dropping in amazement. “What!”

“Apparently I no longer have my special abilities.”

“How? What? Was it the green rock?”

“What green rock?”

“The gift that Rita left me. It was a necklace made from beautiful green rocks. I wore it over to you when you were lying on the floor.”

Clark huffed out some air. It still hurt to even breathe. “No, I didn’t see any beautiful necklace. I had my eyes scrunched closed in pain and now I don’t have any of my abilities.” Clark listened to the anger in his voice and words and chastised himself. He didn’t need to take his nascent pain out on Lois. He loved her and she loved him and he knew she would not intentionally hurt him.

“I’m sorry, Lois. That didn’t sound right. But that pain was real.” He felt her hand touch his forehead again.

“Well, you are cooling off and not sweating anymore. It was like you had a high fever. But you never get sick!”

“Not until now anyway,” Clark admitted ruefully. “What was that stuff?”

Lois held up the card that came with the gift. “Rita’s note with the present she gave me said it was prasiolite from Marion County, Kansas. Made by some friend of a customer of hers in the bridal gown department.”

Clark tried to stand by rolling on to his knees first. Lois steadied him as he straightened up and then stood and leaned on her with an arm around her shoulders as they walked, or more like stumbled, over to the couch. He plopped down in an ungainly manner, clearly winded.

Finally he managed, “That was no prasiolite. Prasiolite is plain old green quartz and I’ve never encountered any with an effect like that. Marion County is where we are.”

“I’ll show you the box.” Lois walked back to the table, picked the box up and raised it up in the air.

Clark had to crane his neck to see and when he did he saw the silver jewelry box. That didn’t do anything to him. “Bring it closer over here.”

Lois approached him slowly, bringing the box closer to him.

“Nothing,” he sighed in relief.

She stood in front of him, holding it.

He clenched his jaw and said, “Open it.”

Lois cracked the box open just a tiny bit.

“AAAAAH,” Clark yelled in pain and clutched his stomach.

Lois quickly shut the box.

“Whew,” Clark sighed in relief again. “That’s it for sure. Whatever it is. Why does the box protect me?”

Lois returned the box to the table and came back to sit by Clark. She reached over for his hand and held it now that he was no longer in pain. “Several years back I did a story on a jewelry thief. He didn’t steal jewelry, he stole jewelry boxes. Some are very valuable and he just liked them for some reason. Anyway, in the Art Deco period they were made from lead and then coated in silver amalgam. So the box is lead, I suspect.”

Clark took a deep breath and stood up. He was a little wobbly at first, but then gained his land legs and walked over to the box. He tried to x-ray it, but his vision still wasn’t working. He picked it up and held it and had no ill effects. He shook it and could hear the jewelry inside rattle, but just with normal hearing.

Putting down the box in disgust, he said, “Well, that is a fine turn of events now. How am I supposed to go and help Pete?”

Since he was comfortable by the table, Lois came over and pulled out a chair and sat. Then he did too.

Trying to sound reasonable, she said, “Well you are still an able bodied human being if we don’t run into any of this stuff. I wonder how long the debilitating effect will last?”

“Maybe permanently?” Clark just shook his head morosely.

Lois reached over and stroked his back comfortingly. “Well, you know, in a sense this is lucky.”

An incredulous expression on his face, Clark turned and looked at her in amazement. “Lucky, how?

“Because we found it out here and we found it out now. Not when you were in the middle of some action, maybe even something like Nightfall.”

Turning in her chair to clasp both of Clark’s hands, Lois looked him in his sad eyes. “Clark, you are not alone anymore. I’m here with you and I felt no effect from the green stones. Rita didn’t either, I’m sure. We can help you now, by protecting you from this stuff. But I guess there is a downside.” She gripped his hands a little tighter and shook them a bit.

“Downside?”

“We can’t tell this rock from plain old quartz. Only you can do that. By your reaction to it.”

“Oh. Oh, joy.” He looked despondent.

“But you’ve lived here all your life and never encountered this stuff?” She released his hands and sat back.

He shook his head no. “But I left at 16 soon after my abilities started to kick in. Maybe that’s why.”

“Could be. Could this be what Bureau 39 is looking for over at the Ross’?”

“How would they know about it? And how would they detect it?”

“Hey, you’re the forensic scientist. Think!”

Clark shook his head and imagined his brain was rattling around his skull. “Yeah. It must be radiation only I am sensitive too. But maybe a regular Geiger counter would detect it. Or maybe not. How would they know about it?”

“That I don’t know. They had all kinds of weird stuff in that warehouse on Bessolo Blvd. But if it is a type of radiation, doesn’t distance and the amount of the substance affect the effect on you?”

“I would assume it would follow the inverse-square law like all other radiation. That generally applies when energy is radiated outward radially from a point source. Since the surface area of a sphere is proportional to the square of the radius, as the emitted radiation gets farther from the source, it must spread out over an area that is proportional to the square of the distance from the source. So that means the radiation passing through any body area is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the point source. The further away, the weaker the effect by a factor of two.”

“Can anything protect you?”

Reaching over and holding up the jewelry box, Clark said, “Lead. Lead shields other radiation, why not this stuff?” He waved the box at her as if to prove the point.

“You could wear a lead suit.”

Clark looked at her incredulously. “Wear a lead suit? Even with my strength, assuming I get it back, that would be clumsy and make rescues more difficult. I’d look like Iron Man!” He shook his head in denial of the concept.

“You keep thinking. I’m going to go make some tea. That’ll perk you up.” She got up and went toward the kitchen.

“Ah, Lois, there’s some canned soup in the cupboard. I’m hungry.” Clark looked surprised and sheepish at once.

Lois smiled. “Well, you wanted to be human, now you are. And being hungry is a good sign of improved health.”

“Oh, and Lois, there’s some orange wrapped expedition meal packs in the cupboard too. I’ll have one of those, too, please.”

Lois beamed at him from the doorway. “Attaboy, Clark. You’re on the mend. Be right back.”

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Now to the current story. Previously at the end of Chapter 20:

Sherman looked around and saw the small box was missing. “I guess he took it with him. He showed the rock to that Pete fellow. Funny, the rock was in a metal box. When he opened the box, the green rock actually glowed. That big crate over there has Superman’s spaceship in it Thompson said.”

Well, Lois knew that wasn’t true. She had seen the spaceship in Clark’s barn and it had reacted to her, so there was no doubt of its authenticity. Were there other things that Thompson said that weren’t true? “Can this rock hurt Superman?”

Shaking her head, Sherman says, “I doubt it. But Thompson thinks it can. And he's a killer. Who knows what he will do to your friend?”

Lois sat there in a quandary. A green rock was involved. The necklace that Rita had given Lois had green stones. And they had seemed to glow. And Clark had fallen to the floor and nearly passed out. What was that green rock going to do to Clark? He hadn’t recovered from the effect of the necklace yet. Could it kill him? It would be a world without Superman again.

More importantly for her, it would be a world without Clark. He’d lost his career in the FBI because he tried to protect Earth from the Nightfall Asteroid and lost his memory in the process. Was he going to lose his life now because he was being hunted down by a fringe group? Were they the same people that had fired the nuclear missile at the asteroid *after* Clark had changed its trajectory to miss an impact with Earth? Lois had too many questions and not enough answers. She also knew she didn’t have any power in the town of Smallville.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Chapter 21. And Tonight We Can Truly Say Together We're Invincible

Lois sat in the tent in a quandary, fearing for Clark’s life. Who knew what would happen while he was in the clutches of Bureau 39 while he was without his superpowers? Nobody in that group seemed to object to the behavior of their leader. They must all believe the same thing – that Superman was a danger to humanity and hordes of other people from his home planet were just ready to invade and take over Earth.

Lois didn’t have any power in Smallville against the likes of Bureau 39, but she knew somebody who did and would want to help Clark no matter what. Lois dug into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She had seen the faux tree of cell phone relays not far from the Smallville town square. She dialed 911. If there ever was an emergency, this was it.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Pete was hurting as he came up the Kent driveway. Thompson had been rough on him while trying to pry information out of him. But Pete had resisted and then the nutcase had let him go for some inexplicable reason. Pete was young; he knew he would heal rapidly and no major damage had been done. But what in the universe had happened to Clark? Where was he and why hadn’t Superman made an appearance? Or was that because Superman already knew Thompson had a chunk of the green quartz rock?

Making it on to the porch, Pete fished in the false bottom of the hanging flower pot and found the key to the front door. Maybe inside the house would be some answers.

Calling out as he entered, “Clark or Lois are you here? Rita? Did you come back?” he got no reply. He went over and tried the phone and found it was dead. There was no way to call for help. His cell phone was back in Baldwin.

Looking over at the dining room table, he saw the large box. Probably new suits for Clark from Rita. Then he saw the unwrapped smaller box and the card saying, “To Lois, love Rita.” Beside the gift box was a silver jewelry box. He opened it and saw the green necklace and earrings. The stones glowed with the same light as the larger stone that Thompson showed him in the tent. No wonder Superman hadn’t come for him. He had probably already experienced the effects of the green rock.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Clark realized that to his chagrin, he had never ever been truly afraid for his life, even after the nuclear explosion on Nightfall. Also even when he was young and his abilities hadn’t come in yet, he had the brash confidence of youth times ten. Now he had the taste of fear on his tongue. Was this what the many people he had rescued felt before he got there to save them? Was this what everyone in that out of control plane had felt? The shackles even pinched his wrists as Thompson clamped them on. The “ow” sound was on his tongue, but he refused to let it pass his lips. Pride, he suspected. The ankle shackles were around his boots and pants, so they didn’t hurt at all, but he was definitely restrained.

Clark felt the van back down the Ross driveway and then move forward on the paved road, and then up another dirt drive. Clark assumed he was back at his place; the distance felt right. He sensed the front doors open and close.

Then Thompson opened the back doors and leaned inside the van. Smugly he said, “Your situation grows increasingly desperate, Mister Kent. I now have your girlfriend. What I want is Superman. If you wish to save her, you'll tell me what I want to know. A trade.”

Clark was desperate and realized his situation. Finally he said, “You have to promise you'll let her go.”

“Oh, I do. I absolutely give you my word.”

Clark hesitated. What choice did he really have? He couldn’t let Lois die and he certainly didn’t want to die himself. Especially with Lois in his future. So he relented and confessed, “I'm Superman.”

Thompson looked at Clark a moment and then a scowl crossed his face. “Oh, really? Are you now?” Sure Clark was lying, he aimed his gun at Clark’s chest.

Shocked, Clark yelled, “No! Thompson!”

Thompson pulled the trigger but no bullet fired. Clark breathed a sigh of relief.

“That was real fear. Superman doesn't fear guns. Nice try. But I want the real thing.” He slammed the back doors and Clark was plunged into darkness. Clark now knew the feel of real fear.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Once Jimmy saw Clark being summarily loaded into the back of the van, indecision set in. He had to help somehow but didn’t know exactly how. All he could think of was the local law in Smallville. Something like the FBI from Wichita would take too long to get here and he had the feeling that Clark didn’t have a lot on time left in his life without outside intervention. So he drove his rental car down the main street of Smallville, frantically looking for the police or the sheriff. He did take time to note that the name of the street was “Main Street.”

Finally finding a sign that said “Sheriff’s Office” he hunted for a parking spot and to his total surprise found there were none to be had. So he stopped in front of the office front door and jumped out. Vaguely hearing shouts of “You can’t park there,” he made a beeline for the front door of the Sheriff’s office. On the way he saw a group of uniformed men and one woman standing by an official car and talking. He went to the tallest man and said, “Sheriff, we got an emergency.”

Rachel Harris simply sighed at the common mistake and corrected him. “Over here,” she said with just a touch of asperity and waved at the young man while keeping a hand on her holstered gun.

Jimmy did a double take and shook his head in surprise.

“Give me your keys,” Rachel said as she pointed to his double-parked car.

Jimmy did as he was told and Rachel tossed them to another deputy. “Hank, put his car somewhere legal, okay?” Then turning to Jimmy she said, “If it's an emergency, you better start talking fast.”

Jimmy put his mouth into fast babble gear and said, “Okay, right. There's a guy, his name's Thompson, he thinks there are UFO's, I mean, there *are* UFO'S, but this guy collects them. Anyway he's here in Smallville with his group of guys and he's got my friends and we gotta go save them now or they're gonna be toast. Do you know how to call the Army? The National Guard? We're gonna need some kind of helicopter... “

Rachel looked at Jimmy carefully. Should she arrest him or help him? “You're not from around here, are you?”

“My name's Jimmy Olsen. I'm from Metropolis with the Daily Planet and my friends...”

“Clark Kent?”

“And Lois Lane.”

“Oh. Her.”

“The guy who's got them -- he could do anything and do it willingly.”

Rachel said to Jimmy, “Get in,” as she pointed to her car. Then she called to the undersheriff, “Gene, tell Dispatch we’re going Code 2 to the Ross Farm.”

Jimmy got in hastily. Rachel was in, strapped in and stepping on the gas in seconds. As they drove rapidly down Main Street, Rachel asked, ”Did Clark ever mention me?”

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Pete sat at Clark’s dining room table holding the necklace of green stones in his hand. How in the world Rita had ever gotten it he had no idea and he couldn’t ask her right now. Bureau 39 had his cell phone and the house lines were dead, probably by their hand. He might be dead soon too. But then, Thompson had let him go. Why was that? To see where he went! Pete realized he’d been a fool when he went straight to Clark’s. He should have gone the other way or off into the woods or something.

But Pete accepted that now he *was* here. He didn’t know what to do with the necklace. He couldn’t give it to anybody and he sure didn’t want to get it anywhere near Clark. He didn’t understand why things happen. Clark had often told him throughout college that he wished he were just a normal man. And now he probably was because of this rock, but that didn’t seem to be working for him either. Clark being normal just didn’t feel right. If any person was worthy of the powers he had, it was Clark. His debut as Superman had shown that. And Pete was still amazed that he was able to see a solar eclipse, from Antarctica no less, courtesy of his foster brother’s abilities and generosity.

It was clear that these green rocks were dangerous to Clark, but evidently not to any human since he was holding them. He should destroy them somehow, but he didn’t know what would work. If he were at his lab at KU, he could put them in a high temperature oven and slag them to nothing. But they were a different element and their state, solid or liquid, wouldn’t change the radiation potency. So how could you defeat this substance? Bury it in concrete? Lock it in a high security vault? Throw it into the Sun? But only Clark could do that last and not now if he didn’t have any powers.

Suddenly, Pete heard boots on the front *and* back porches. Both front and back doors burst in simultaneously.

“Well, well, well, look where the rabbit ran! Right to the home of Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis, New Troy, U.S. of A.” Thompson’s voice grated on Pete’s ears.

One of the agents took the necklace and the jewelry box from Pete and handed them to Thompson. “Pretty,” the latter said in a hard voice. The green glow reflected on his face made him look truly evil.

Now Pete realized how deep the trouble was for Clark.

A sudden change came over Thompson as he put the necklace in the box and closed the lid. He said in an amazingly reasonable voice, “Maybe you can help me, help your country, by telling me how to find Superman. I tried and failed to get that information out of Clark Kent. I know he and Superman are close and thought perhaps Superman had taken over his mind or done – what do they call it? – a mind meld on Clark in order to persuade him to help the alien.”

All the other armed men were silently watching as Thompson continued. He walked to the window and turned back and approached Pete again. “Clark said a funny thing to me. He said *he* was Superman if I let you and Lois go. But I faked shooting him and he had a real fear of dying in his eyes. So Clark is not invulnerable, ergo he is not Superman.”

Pete was trying to control his facial expressions at this amazing information. So Clark really was without his abilities. It was going to be a long, hard, cold road for the rest of humanity.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Jimmy stood outside the patrol car with Rachel and watched her load her service revolver with a solemn expression. So it wasn’t loaded before? He shook his head. The MPD came locked and loaded to any event in the city. “You ever fired that before?”

Rachel answered him with a stern expression. “Of course I've fired it.” She hesitated, “On the range.”

Jimmy just nodded. That was not exactly a confidence builder.

“This Lois. Does she love Clark?”

He bit back his automatic response of, “I’ve never seen two people more in love.” That was probably not the wisest thing to say since the Sheriff seemed to have feelings for Clark. So Jimmy did what any good reporter does, he lied. “I don't think so. She pretty much loves her work.”

Rachel finished loading and the radio squawked to life. “Dispatch to Unit One,”

Rachel reached in and grabbed the handset quickly and replied. “Unit One, go ahead Dispatch.”

The voice on the radio said with a heavy dose of incredulity, “I've got a woman on the line. She's talking about UFO'S, kidnappings, something about Pete Ross and the Daily Planet and Superman. I think it's a crank.”

Rachel and Jimmy traded a look. Lois.

Rachel sighed, “Put her through. Go ahead, Lois.”

Back in the holding tent, Carol Sherman watched Lois talk to the Sheriff. “Sheriff? You've got to get to the Kent Farm right away. I think Pete Ross’ life is in danger. Also, they took Clark Kent with them in the back of a van, shackled to the ceiling and the floor.”

“Clark shackled? Why in the world...” Rachel trailed off and then continued businesslike, “Copy that. But we're on our way to the Ross property to check out the trouble there first.”

Lois exclaimed, “Forget it! That's where I am. Everybody else is gone. Get to Clark’s. Now! Stat! Or whatever you law types say!”

Jimmy gestured to take the microphone and she handed it over.

“Lois, it's Jimmy. I’m with the Sheriff.”

“Jimmy! Listen, I don't know exactly what's going on, but Superman's in danger, too. We've got to warn him somehow. Got any ideas?”

Rachel Harris got back in the driver’s seat and gestured to Jimmy to get in the car.

Jimmy looked down to his signal watch. “Just one. But it's kind of a long shot.”

“Anything! You’ve got to try anything!”

Jimmy could hear the desperation in Lois’ voice. “Will do,” he said as he hung up. Then he looked at his watch, poked his head out his window, looked up toward the sky and pressed the signal button. “Come one, big guy. I promise to ask nice later. But just this once...”

The car blasted off down the road, lights flashing, and siren blaring in a full code 3 mode.

Lois had just hung up her cell after calling Rachel. She had to get to Clark and quickly. Turning to Sherman, she asked “You have a car here, don’t you?”

Sherman, wide-eyed at Lois’ derring-do attitude, just nodded.

“Let’s go then. We need to get to Clark’s farm. Now you can see firsthand what your boss is really like and how many tacos short of a combo platter he is.”

As they were getting into Sherman’s car, Deputy Hank pulled up in a Sheriff’s car. “Sheriff Harris asked me to pick you up. Get in.”

Both women eagerly got into the car and rode with lights blazing and sirens blaring over to Clark’s farm.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Meanwhile, Clark was locked in the back of the van, which he knew had been driven to his farm. What a fine mess he found himself in. He swore to himself that if he ever got his abilities back he would appreciate them more. He really did enjoy saving and helping people. Being chased down by alien hunters, not so much. He was hanging by his hands chained to the roof, his head was bowed in near defeat. At least he was sitting on the floor of the van.

Suddenly, for the second time in his life, he heard the ear splitting noise of Jimmy’s signal watch. This time he was really glad to hear it and thanked Jimmy profusely in his mind. Joyously he shouted out to himself, “I'm back!”

Still slightly disbelieving of his good luck after his ordeal, he set himself, flexed his muscles and pulled his hands from chains to the roof. He reached down and snapped the chains from his ankles and then removed the steel cuffs from his wrists. He kicked out the back doors and emerged from the van as he drew in a deep breath. His abilities were back!

Clark saw that he was between the barn and the house. Looking inside his house he saw Pete in a chair by the dining room table and Thompson’s crew ranged around him. Then to his horror, he saw one of the men pouring gasoline through the house to the front door. All the men were emerging onto the front porch and Pete was left behind. He supersped the small distance to be behind Thompson and was just in time to see him throw a match down to the liquid trail.
continued in post below

Flames shot up and started following the trail to the house. His house! Not going to happen, he vowed to himself.

Thompson turned around and saw Clark staring at him angrily. Thompson smirked.

Clark supersped by Thompson and he inhaled the flames and then blew them skyward like a human flame-thrower.

At that sight, Thompson’s men started running down the driveway or else into the woods and just scattered. They were not going up against Superman, no matter what clothes he was wearing and what name he was using.

Clark rushed into his house to untie Pete.

Pete stared at him as he came in. “Boy, am I glad to see you, bro. Be careful. Thompson has more of that green rock. I’m sorry I ever found it and sent it in to LexLabs for analysis!”

Clark just nodded and clapped his shoulder. “It’s O.K. Pete. I’m back. Where’s Lois?”

“Back at my farm still, I suspect.”

Clark moved back to his front door and saw Thompson standing by the van, this time all alone. Clark walked slowly down his porch. “This and you, end now!”

Thompson started to approach him, arms held behind his back.

Clark ordered, “Don't take another step!”

Thompson was calm, as if his life meant to come to this moment. “Fighting words, Mister Kent. Or should I call you Superman?”

He paused a moment then continued, “A secret identity. Very cleaver. But not very honest and upfront, Mr. Truth and Justice and screw the American Way!”

In real anger the likes of which he had never felt before, Clark began moving toward his tormentor, closing the gap. In his focus on Thompson, he forgot Pete’s warning. “You,” he pointed, “are going to prison.” He repeated, “You're going to prison. For murder, kidnapping, for abuse of power.”

Thompson was the bully on the playing field, almost taunting. “But I'll tell everyone your secret.”

If Clark had not been so enraged, he might have realized that he was still in danger. “I don't care. This ends now, Thompson.”

“Agreed. But the question is, for whom?” Thompson replied, way too calmly for the immediate threat.

In an instant, Clark closed the distance to Thompson. Then he felt the searing pain again and recoiled and staggered back. Thompson smiled in triumph and brought his piece of green rock out from behind his back. He watched as Clark’s knees slowly buckled and he fell to the ground. Soon he collapsed, fighting to even breathe.

Standing towering over his victim, Thompson smirked again. Clark could only look up at him. Speaking seemed to be too much effort. Thompson turned away in that now familiar manner, and then suddenly spun and kicked Clark, sending him sprawling across the dirt. Clark rolled over with effort so that he could look him in the eye.

Venom was in his voice as Thompson bit out, “You think you're better than we humans, don't you? Flying around, oh-so-perfect and superior. But those days are over, aren't they?”

It was real effort, but Clark ground out, “You're... wrong.”

Smirking in satisfaction, Thompson held the rock close to Clark’s face as a weapon. “No. You're wrong. It's over, and I have won. This little piece of home is going to be the death of you, Superman.”

In the distance, Thompson could hear the sound of sirens rapidly approaching. He set the green rock in the center of Clark’s chest.

The pain shot through Clark’s chest and he screamed in pain. He couldn’t breathe.

“As I said, this little piece of home is going to be the death of you. But unfortunately, I won't be able to stay for the services.” At that, he moved off to the van that had been parked next to the small pond.

Fighting against the pain, Clark forced himself to roll to get the green rock off his chest. After a couple restorative breaths, he reached out and grabbed the green rock. It was like touching fire. With all his will summoned, Clark threw it toward the pond.

Denying his doom with all his will, Clark screamed, “NO!”

The rock sailed past Thompson and hit a large granite boulder projecting above the water-line. It exploded into a million small pieces that sparkled as they dissipated into the wind and pond and released a large amount of energy.

Nothing seemed to surprise Thompson as he drolly commented, “Oh, very brave. And very foolish.” He unholstered his weapon with a look of satisfaction. “Now, let's see. Who should go first? You, or the human traitors who have sheltered you all these years? How about Pete Ross? Or Lois Lane?” Thompson looked over significantly at Pete Ross who was standing in the front of the farm house.

“You leave my brother alone,” Clark ground out.

“Brother, is it? Does he have powers too? If so, how come I could torture him, hmmm?”

Clark, knowing he was only human now, picked himself up from the ground in great pain, and charged Thompson like an enraged bull. He knocked Thompson off his feet, but he was spent by the effort.

Pete, hearing the sirens, moved down the driveway to direct the police cars to the scene of the action.

“You're right, Superman. I don't need a gun.” Thompson advanced on Clark and in a lightning display of martial arts, sent him sprawling back to the ground.

Clark held onto Thompson's boot and pulled him to the ground. The battle continued behind the van and into the pond. Clark knew he had the most to lose, but his adversary was the better street fighter.

With raw courage, Clark finally defeated Thompson and could have easily bashed his head into the rock that shattered the meteorite. He lifted his fist for a defeating blow.

Thompson mocked, “Go ahead. Kill me. I would have killed you. Be warned though that I’m not alone. There are more like me.”

Clark threw Thompson back in the water in disgust. “In spite of what you and your demented buddies think, that's not how I work.”

Clark walked out of the pond just as several sheriffs’ vehicles arrived in quick succession. The first held Rachel and Jimmy. The second contained Deputy Hank driving Lois and Sherman. As they piled out of the cars, Clark staggered against a tree, supporting himself, fighting for consciousness.

Lois screamed a warning, “CLARK!” Lois saw Thompson emerging from the water, producing a miniature gun from his boot, aiming for Clark.

Rachel tensed and assumed a braced firing stance. Jimmy got out of the passenger side and aimed his camera.

Clark winced, preparing for the worst.

The report of the shot echoed through the Farm. Time was suspended, all the people in place until Thompson slowly, almost majestically, fell back into the pond and disappeared from sight. Clark collapsed onto the dirt and Lois raced to him, followed by Pete.

Rachel just lowered her service pistol slowly, realizing without joy that she had just taken a life. But it was to protect a good friend who she knew was a good person. All in the line of duty, she supposed. She would be happy to get back to a quiet life in the small town of Smallville.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

“Clark, Clark, are you all right?” Lois asked frantically as she kneeled by his side. She ran her hands over his chest to check for bullet wounds. Yes, there had been only one gunshot and Thompson had collapsed, but she couldn’t help frantically looking for damage.

Pete came up to Lois and Clark and asked, “Are you O.K., bro? We were really worried about you.”

Clark still lay there. Then he finally took a deep breath and Lois and Pete could see the rise and fall of his chest. He coughed and turned his head and some water from the pond came out of his mouth.

Pete thought the water looked slightly green and sparkly.

With the water out of his lungs, Clark seemed to revive more and looked up at Lois and smiled weakly. He put his hand over hers on his chest, then looked over at Pete and smiled. “Five by five, bro.”

Pete said on an exhale, “Thank god. We were worried. That verdampta stuff is wicked on you.”

“Tell me about it,” Clark said weakly, then he slowly started to sit up.

“Stay,” said Lois and increased the pressure of her hand on his chest.

“What am I, a dog?” He was teasing but lay back down at her command.

“No, you just defeated another enemy in your usual flamboyant way.” Then she leaned her face down to his and kissed him ferverently.

Reaching up his hand, he pulled her head down to his and returned her kiss. When he released her, he said, “Watch out for a green mouth.”

“Doesn’t affect us humans, you know. I guess you are going to need our help against this stuff.”

“I hope there isn’t more.”

“But there is. The necklace and earrings. We know that was just a random pick of local stone.” She winked at him, “And I’ll brush my teeth and rinse my mouth very carefully.”

“O.K. reporter lady. You and Pete are officially part of my crew now. Oh, and Rita. We have to tell her not to find more of the stuff.”

Lois’ eyebrow raised, “Crew?”

“Sidekicks, compadres, three amigos?”

Pete extended a hand to help Clark get up to a sitting position. “Well I guess the four amigos then.”

Jimmy was watching the byplay, leaving them their privacy by staying by the car. He had shot a picture just for Clark and Lois. Starting to join the little group, he glanced over at Sheriff Rachel. She had disappointment written on her features. From shooting the nutjob or from Clark kissing Lois, he wasn’t sure.

He jogged over to them. “Hey guys, I got some great photos. That was a great fight, Clark!”

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Not so much for me. Thompson was quite a fighter, too bad he had skewed ideas of right and wrong.”

Jimmy helped Pete and Lois get Clark standing. He said, sadly puzzled, “I used the signal watch, but Superman didn’t come and help you out.”

Lois leaped in to take charge. “Like we said in the newsroom. He’s not a dog to be called. Maybe we’d better take charge of that thing.” She held out her hand like she expected to get the watch.

Reluctantly, Jimmy turned over his prize.

Clark couldn’t help a laugh and a soft exclamation of, ”Lois, you are something else. I’m glad you are on my side.”

“You’d better believe it Fl… Farmboy. You need me. Us, actually.”

Lois smiled at Clark and he smiled back and all was right in the world. For the moment anyway.

*+*+*+*+*+*+

Back at the Daily Planet, Perry began to read aloud the copy of their story while Lois, Clark and Jimmy looked on.

Perry put the paper down and said, “I been in the newspaper business thirty-five years, and this is the damndest story I ever saw.”

Nodding, Lois expanded on the thought. “You should have been there. Here's a man so far around the bend that he starts beating on Clark to get at Superman.”

Perry turned to Clark and said, “Now, Kent, I usually tell my reporters to stay out of their stories, don't get involved. But as long as you fought a nutcase like Thompson, well...” Perry extended his hand to Clark, “I'm just glad you came out on top.”

“Thanks. I am too.” he said, shaking Perry’s hand gently.

Jimmy indicated the signal watch now on Lois’ wrist. “Too bad that didn't work.”

Lois replied smoothly, “Don't give up on it. Superman was in Metropolis. You were in Smallville.”

‘Oh, she’s smooth,’ Clark thought. His only regret was they had to fly back commercial air from Wichita with Jimmy. Clark would much rather have flown with Lois, touching her, caressing her, making love to her in the air his own special way. He knew Lois preferred his version of the Mile High Club, and he smiled and winked at her. Lois even blushed in response. Yes, she knew what he was thinking, as usual.

”Sure you don't want to share the by-line on this one,” Perry asked Clark in concern.

Clark held up two hands palm out in a warding gesture. “Uh-uh. I'm too close to it. I want Lois to tell it the way she sees it.”

Turning to Lois, Perry continued his thought, “Well, then, Lois, I just got one question for you. This rock that Thompson convinced himself was gonna hurt Superman. What's it called?”

Startled, Lois hadn’t thought of that. She guessed ‘green rock’ really wasn’t too cool. “Called? You want a name? Nobody can even find it. Even the sample Pete sent to the lab disappeared. I'm not sure it existed anywhere but in Thompson's delusions.”

For his part, Clark remained silent. He knew he had put the necklace and earrings in their jewelry box in another box inside his secret room beneath the barn along with his spaceship. He really admired Lois’ ability to lie. Maybe prevaricate was a better word.

Continuing, Perry said, “Even so, this copy'd sing a lot sweeter if you gave it a name. Any name, for that matter.”

“Thompson thought it was from the planet Krypton... I don't know...Kryptonium?” She looked at Perry.

“Okay by me.”

Clark put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Wait. It's a meteor…ite. What about... Kryptonite?

Perry handed the copy back to Lois and headed for his office. “You two fight it out,” he threw over his shoulder. As he closed his office door behind him, he reflected that no matter how Clark Kent came to the paper, he was glad he had. The boy had a nose for news. First the Nightfall story and then the Smallville Superfund Site. Not to mention many exclusives with Superman after his many rescues. They were on their way to being the next newspaper “Hottest Team in Town.”

Back at her desk, Lois smiled up at Clark, “You're always editing my copy,” she mock complained.

Laughing, Clark reposted, “Next time, you fight the bad guy and I'll write the story.”

“Okay. Kryptonite it is. I guess that’s better than ‘evil green rock.’”

Jimmy said, “Oh, I almost forgot,” He whispered, “Now that Perry’s gone. I have a picture for you two. No other copies.” He slid a folder in front of Lois and Clark looked over her shoulder as she opened it. Inside was the picture of Lois kissing Clark as he lay on the dirt by the pond. They both smiled at him.

“Thanks, Jimmy. I think we may start an album.” Lois rested her hand on top of Clark’s still on her shoulder.

Clearing his throat, Jimmy continued, “So, C.K., now that you won 'The BigThrill in Smallville,' how are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling,” Clark considered how to phrase it, “Super.”

Never one to let anyone else get the last word, Lois said, “Good. We can have Chinese tonight.”

Lois and Clark burst out laughing, but Jimmy didn’t get the inside joke and just walked away shaking his head, wondering what kind of stories the pair would dig up now.

THE END